 Don’t Do Other People’s
Work : Are you in the habit of
doing other people’s work because
of a ‘hero’ mentality? Doing this
takes up time that you may not
have. Instead, focus on your own
projects and goals and teach others
how to do their own work.
RE ACH Ser vices
 Avoid “Efficiency
Traps”: Being efficient doesn’t
necessarily mean that you are being productive. Avoid taking on
tasks that you can do well that
don’t need to be done at all. Just
because you are busy doesn’t mean
you are actually accomplishing
anything important.
 Be Careful to Avoid
Burnout : Burnout occurs when
your body and mind can no longer
keep up with the tasks you demand of them. Work hard toward
your goals, but always be sure to
leave time for relaxation, reflection, and review your recent accomplishments.
The City College of New York
Time
Management
Strategies
The Counseling Center
Marshak Science Building, Rm. J-15
160 Convent Avenue
New York, NY 10031
Phone: (212) 650-8222
Fax: (212) 650-8227
E-mail: [email protected]
The Counseling
Center
Phone: (212) 650-8222
Time
Management
Strategies
 Write Things Down : A common
time management mistake is to try to use
your memory to keep track of too many details leading to information overload. Plan
your most important activities for the day. If
you don’t carry a planner or notebook with
you already, start using one. A simple To Do
List is often a huge help.
 Prioritize Your List: When you
have a to-do list filled with important tasks,
be careful not to get distracted by “filler”
tasks. Things such as organizing your bookcase or filing papers can wait until you tackle the items that have the highest priority.
 Plan Your Week:
Spend some time at the
beginning of each week to
plan your activities. Taking 15-30 minutes to do
this will help increase
your productivity and
balance your important
long-term projects with
your more urgent tasks.
 Make Use of Down Time: Use
walking, driving, showering, or other down
time to plan. Think about what your goals
are for that day or the next. It is essential to
decide which goals are most important and
to prioritize accordingly.
 Avoid Procrastination at All Costs: Try to be
more productive and to save time by avoiding procrastination. Doing work and taking small steps toward your
goal will make you feel better.
 Learn to Say NO: Many of us
become overloaded with too much work
because we overcommit. Learn to say no
to low priority requests and you will free
up time to spend on things that are more
important.
 Think Before Acting: How many times have
you said yes to something you later regretted? Before
committing to a new task, stop to think about it. This
will prevent you from taking on too much work.
 Set Personal Deadlines: To save time and become more productive, set your own deadlines that precede actual deadlines you have to meet. Challenge yourself but remain realistic about your time. Make yourself
accountable for missing your personal deadlines.
 Think about what You Are Giving up: It is
a good idea to evaluate regularly how you are spending
your time. In some cases, the best thing you can do is to
stop doing an activity that is no longer serving you so
you can spend the time doing something more valuable.
 Identify Bad Habits: Make a list of bad habits
that are stealing your time, sabotaging your goals, and
blocking your success. After you do, work on them one at
a time and systematically eliminate them from your life.
 Concentrate on One Thing at
a Time: The human mind works more
efficiently when it is focused. Concentrate
on one thing and get it done.
 Don’t Be a Perfectionist: Some
tasks don’t require your best effort. Sending
a short email to a classmate, for example,
shouldn’t take any more than a few
minutes. Learn to discriminate between
tasks that deserve to be done excellently
and tasks that just need to be done.
 Delegate Responsibilities: If you
realize you have taken on more than you
can handle, ask for help and delegate some
of the tasks.
 Set up a Long Term
Planner: Remind yourself of
your long term goals as a way
of keeping focused on current
tasks and avoiding procrastination.
 Work in a Team: Working as part
of a team can increase productivity and
help you reach your goals quicker. To ensure effectiveness, make sure team goals
are clear, everyone knows what tasks they
are responsible for, and lines of communication are open.
 Reward Yourself: Make sure to
take the time to reward yourself anytime
you accomplish an important goal.